3rd to agree that this is fire safety/rule of law question and not about smoking.

10:30 am August 31, 2009

comeon wrote:

it's quite obvious
the purpose is just to reduce of risk of having a safty-related social disturbances. the same way they would try to improve safety in places like coal mines. apparently they also have the CCTV fire in their mind.

thought china-observers in wsj would do better than this?

10:00 pm August 31, 2009

Brad wrote:

The report is such a traditional outsider one .... Boring...

4:48 pm September 1, 2009

American wrote:

Just returned from 2 weeks in China. Among the many things that surprised me was the dearth of smokers. Saw some, in places I wouldn't in the US - restaurants, etc - but the supposed world's biggest tobacco market certainly didn't look it to me.

8:19 am December 26, 2010

observer wrote:

To American:
Where the hell did you go in China? Smokers are ubiquitous! I've been living here for more than 5 years and you can't get away from them!
Millions will die in China before the foolish smokers there begin to change their habits.

Add a Comment

Error message

Name

We welcome thoughtful comments from readers. Please comply with our guidelines. Our blogs do not require the use of your real name.

Expert Insight

China’s territorial ambitions in the East and South China seas are by now well-documented. Much less understood is one of the key factors in the country’s ability to realize those ambitions: an increasingly well-funded and capable maritime militia.

The U.S. has been urging allies to steer clear of Asia's new China-led infrastructure investment bank. Robert Zoellick, former president of the World Bank, calls that approach mistaken on multiple levels.

Can legal reform and Communist Party control coexist in a way that will benefit Chinese governance and society?This is the question that confronts the country in the wake of its annual legislative gathering.

China's just-concluded legislative sessions seem to be another example of the deinstitutionalization of politics under Xi Jinping. Months from now, these meetings won’t be seen as harbingers of reform, so much as another lost opportunity, writes CRT analyst Russell Moses.

About China Real Time Report

China Real Time Report is a vital resource for an expanding global community trying to keep up with a country changing minute by minute. The site offers quick insight and sharp analysis from the wide network of Dow Jones reporters across Greater China, including Dow Jones Newswires’ specialists and The Wall Street Journal’s award-winning team. It also draws on the insights of commentators close to the hot topic of the day in law, policy, economics and culture. Its editors can be reached at chinarealtime@wsj.com.